Welding apparatus



y 26,1942- H. I. MORRIS 2,283,942

WELDING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 22, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l N BY How/moMo/m/s x 'i Q new 2 ATTORNEY May 26, 1942.

H. l. MORRIS WELDING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 22, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mmn INVENTOI? HOWARD MORRIS A TTORNEY Patented May 26, 1942 UNITED STATES;PATENT. OFFICE WELDING APPARATUS Howard 1. Morris, Lakewood, Ohio,assignor of one-third to Carl M. Yoder and one-third to Harvey 0. Yoder,both of Lakewood, Ohio Application November 22, 1940, Serial No. 366,521

I my invention, partly in section and partly .in

1 Claim.

This invention relates to welding apparatus having rotatable electrodes,moreparticularly a welding apparatus wherein the electrodes and thetransformer constitute a unitary structure.

In all transformers utilized in welding apparatus employing rotatableelectrodes, of which I have knowledge, it has been necessary to providea plurality of brushes between the secondary winding or windings and therotatable electrodes or where the transformer rotated with theelectrodes, to provide a plurality of brushes between the primary coilsor windings and the current supply mains, so that a large number ofparts, to provide for these brushes, the adjustment thereof andregulation of the voltage was required.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved transformer havingits secondary winding electrically connected to rotatable electrodes,but wherein brushes or equivalent devices are entirely eliminated.

Another objectofthe invention is to provide an improved transformerhaving stationarily side elevation.

- Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view looking toward the left ofFig. 1.

Fig. 2a is a section on the line 2a2a of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a fragmentarysectional 'view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4] of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section of the core for the secondary member.

Fig. 6 is a view of the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the rings constituting the secondarywinding.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the ring shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a diagram of the electric circuit.

In the drawings, l indicates as an'entirety a welding apparatus havingelectrodes 2, I, and 4 indicates as an entiretya mechanism for feedingthe work A to be welded. 'The work A shown merely for illustrativepurposesconsists of piping which is engaged by one or more pairs ofrolls 5, 5 of the mechanism 4 (only one pair being shown), to maintainits side edges in position to be welded. Certain of the pipe-engagingrolls are mounted on suitably supported shafts arranged to be driven bya power means (not Another object of the invention is to provide 1arranged to movably support a transformer inan improved transformerwherein the secondary winding rotates relative to the primary windingand the secondary winding consists of a plurality of rings the terminalsof each of which are so disposed, relative to the terminals of each ofthe remaining rings angularly of its axis that the current induced inand flowing from the secondary winding is devoid of fluctuations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved transformerhaving few parts of 40 simple construction and readily assembled.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved transformerhaving a rotatable secondary winding connected to rotatable weldingelectrodes wherein provision is readily made for mounting the electrodesand secondary winding for rotation as a unit and the electrodes areconnected in a simple manner to the terminals of the secondary winding.

Other objects of the invention will be appar- 5'0 ent to those skilledin the art to which my invention relates from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein dicated asan entirety at 8, whereby the electrodes 2, 3, which are carried by thesecondary member of the transformer, may be adjusted relative to thepipe A to accommodate the electrodes 2, I, to different sizes of pipeand to insure adequate frictional contact of the electrodes with thework; since the movement of the latter is relied upon through suchcontact to rotate the secondary member of the transformer. The frame Iconsists of a base member 1a and a member lb, which supports thetransformer I as hereinafter set forth.. The member lb is mounted on thebase member 1a for adjustment vertically in the following manner: 9indicates a.

Fig. 1 is a. view of a transformer-embodying the sprockets fixed to allof the shafts II and an intermediate sprocket l4 which is fixed to ashaft I5. The shaft I5 is mounted in suitable bearings provided on thebase member la and walls of a gear box |5a and driven through suitablegear reduction by the shaft N5 of a motor l6a, the operation of whichthrough the chain l3 and sprockets serves to simultaneously rotate theshafts l0, whereby the member ID is raised or lowered. V

I1 indicates a hollow member fixed to and de pending from the member lband surrounding the primary member 8 of the transformer 8. I8, l8a,indicate hangers carried by and depending from the member 1b andprovided with antifriction bearings arranged to rotatably support thesecondary member (indicated as an entirety at Bar) of the transformer 8.

The primary member 8' consists of a plurality of cores |9 uniformlyspaced about the transformer axis, each core being formed of steellaminations shaped to form a bottom portion |9a and inwardly extendingend portions lab, and a plurality of windings fitting within the endportions |9b of the cores against the bottom |'|a thereof. Forillustrative purposes I provide ten windings 20, 20a, 20b, 200, etc.,each formed of copper tape. Each winding is suitably insulated from eachother winding and the core portions |9a, |9b. The primary windings areconnected to supply mains I9, |9:c, in the manner hereinafter set forth.The laminations forming each core l9 are positioned between a pair ofangles 2|, which are suitably secured to the inner sides of the shell orhollow member H, which is preferably of hexagonal shape. The laminationsof each core are secured together by suitable bolts 22, certain of whichextend through the angles 20 to secure the cores thereto. The secondarymember 8a: surrounds, and the terminals of its winding are connected tothe inner and outer concentrically related conductors 23, 24, suitablyinsulated from each other and rigidly connected to the electrodes 2, 3,respectively, the inner conductor 23 being extended at one end beyondthat end of the outer conductor 24 remote from the electrodes 2, 3, formounting in the bearings in the hanger l8, and its opposite end beingextended beyond the electrode 3 for mountin in the bearings in thehanger |8a, whereby the secondary winding, the electrodes and theconductors from the winding to the electrodes rotate as a unitarystructure. The conductors 23, 24, are preferably formed of copper andare insulated from each other by a sleeve 25 of insulation of materialand an annulus 26 of the same material between a collar 21 provided onthe inner member 23 to serve as an abutment against which the adjacentend of the outer member is secured as later set forth. The extended endportion of the inner member 23 is reduced to form ashoulder 23a againstwhich the adjacent bearing races are held by a nut 23b. That portion ofthe member 24 which extends through the transformer is cut away as shownat 28 to accommodate a core 29, which surrounds the outer member 24. Thecore 29 consists of steel laminations formed with suitable struck-upportions 29x to form spacers between them so that the .laminations willbe uniformly disposed radially circumferentially of the outer member 24.The core 29 is secured against the end wall 28a of the cut-away 28 by anut or collar 30 threaded on the adjacent end of the outer member 24.The end wall 28a and inner face of the nut 30 are formed with alinedcircumferential 76 recesses to receive lateral projections or wings 29xon the opposite ends of the laminations. The secondary winding,indicated as an entirety at 3|, may be wound in any desired manner, butin the illustrated form it extends circumferentially of the transformeraxis. In this arrangement the laminations forming the core 29 are shapedto form a bottom portion 29a and outwardly extending side portions 29b,which aline with the side portions IQ?) of the cores l9, the secondarywinding 3| fitting between the side portions 292: and surrounding thebottom portion 29a and suitably insulated from such portions as shown inFig. 3. The secondary winding 3| preferably comprises a plurality ofring-like members 3| formed of copper and arranged in side-by-siderelation between the core side portions 29b and suitably insulated fromeach other, the opposite ends of each member 3 being closely related, sothat the member will be substantially continuous. The opposite ends ofeach member 3 I are provided with inwardly extending lugs 3|a, 3|b, thelug 3|a engaging the outer member 24 to provide an electrical connectiontherewith and the lug 3|b extending through an opening formed in theouter conductor member 24 (but suitably insulated from the walls of saidopening) and engaging the inner conductor member 23 to provide anelectrical connection therewith. Each of the ring ends and the adjacentlug is formed with a through opening 3| 0 to receive a screw 32, theinner end of which is threaded into the adjacent conductor member torigidly secure the lug thereto and insure the electrical connection fromthe ring to said member. As will be understood from Figs. 1 and 3, thering-like members 3| are so arranged that the connections of their endswith the conductor member 23 are at different points circumferentiallythereof, that is, the pairs of terminal lugs 3|a, .3lb, are uniformlyspaced around the conductor member 23, such arrangement serving toeliminate fluctuations in the secondary current.

The electrodes 2 and 3 are mounted on the outer ends of the conductormembers 23, 24, and electrically connected thereto, such mounting forillustrative purposes being as follows: the conductor member 23 adjacentits outer end is reduced to form a shoulder 23a against which a collar33 is secured by a nut 33 threaded on the reduced end portion of themember 23, the collar 33 being formed with a recess to fit over.the 23awhereas the marginal portion of the collar 33 on its inner face isrecessed circumferentially to form a seat for the electrode 3, which issecured to the collar by bolts 33a. The outer end of the conductormember 24 is formed with a circumferential recess 24a to form a seat forthe electrode 2, which is secured to the member 24 by bolts 34. Theelectrodes are insulated from each other by an annular disk 35. Theouter end of the inner member 23 is mounted in the bearings carried bythe hanger l8a.

As shown in Fig. 1, the races for the bearings carried by the hanger l8are insulated from the inner member 23 by a sleeve 231' formed ofsuitable insulation material and the races for the bearings carried bythe hanger |8a are insulated from the latter by suitable insulationmaterial indicated at 231:.

It will be noted that the hanger |8a is removably mounted on a pin |8bextending outwardly from the adjacent end of the supporting member lband secured to'the latter by a nut |8c thread- ,ed on the outer end ofthe pin. Accordingly, by

backing up and removingthe nut I80, the hanger [811 may be movedoutwardly to disengage the supplies a cooling medium (such as water) tol theouter end of the member 23,-the supply pipe being of a size topermit the medium to flow through the opening to a coupling 31 to whicha discharge pipe 31a is connected. The pipe 36 extends throughthecoupling 31 and is connected to a supply pipe 36a.

The primary windings 20, 2m, 2), etc., may be connected to the supplymains l9, I922, in any desired manner; also, by the provision ofsuitable switches or cut-outs the ratio of the primary windings to-thesecondary winding may be changed at will, to insure any predeterminedheat effect for welding, one arrangement, by way of example, being shownin Fig. 9 to which reference is made as follows: 38 indicates a switchof any standard or preferred form of construction having a movable arm38a connected to the main I9 and a plurality'of'terminals 39, connectedby leads to taps, one for each lead, leading ,from one of the primarywindings, as indicated at 20. 4| indicates a switch for controlling theconnection oi. the main l9a'to other primary windings. 'The switch 4|consists 'of ulation resulting from the operation of either 1 or bothswitches 38, 4|, so that the voltage across the electrodes and theresulting heat for welding may be regulated and controlled to secure aproper weld of'the work A.

From the foregoing description it will be noted that the primarywindings are stationarily mounted so that the supply mains may bereadily and economically connected thereto in any de sired manner andthat the terminals of the secondary winding are connected directly tothe electrodes, whereby the secondary winding and the electrodes mayrotate as a unit, so that the provision of brushes and their mountingsand other fittings are entirely eliminated. It will also be noted thatsince in the arrangement disclosed, no lines of force are cut by movingconductors, there is no ,rotative eifect on the secondary member. v

No claim is made herein to the transformer construction per se and themounting of its secondary-member broadly, as'such subject-matter isdisclosed and claimed in my co-pending two connected arms Ha, Ha, whichin one position engage terminals 42, 42a, respectively, and

in another position the arm 41a engagesa terminal 43. A lead connectsthe main 19a to the terminal 42a and a separate lead 44a connects thisterminal to the outer end of winding 201'. A lead 45 connects theterminal 42 to the connection between windings 20c, 20d. A lead '46connects the switch arm 4la to the inner end of winding 20g. A lead 41connects the switch arm 4| a to terminal 43 and a lead 48 connects themain l9a and arranged to regulate the voltage separately from orsupplemental to the reg- To those skilled in the art to which myinvention relates, many changes in, construction and widelydifferingembodiments and applications of the invention will beapparent withoutdeparting from the scope thereof. My disclosures and the description areintended to be purely illus=- trative and not in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

In welding apparatus, the combination "with a base, of a support mountedon and over said base in spaced relation thereto, spaced hangersdepending from said support and each provided with a bearing, aconductor rotatably mounted at its opposite ends in said bearings, aseparate conductor fixedly'related to and insulated from said firstmentioned conductor, electrodes electrically connected tosaidconductors, respectively, and rotatable therewith, said separateconductor and electrodes being entirely disposed be-.

tween said bearings, the hanger for the bearing adjacent to saidelectrodes being removably mounted on said support, and a single phasetransformer entirely disposed between said bearings, the primary windingof said transformer being fixedly related to said support and thesecondary winding of saioLtransformer being fixedly related to saidconductors and electrically connected thereto.

. HOWARD}. MORRIS.

